Worst regular bowler for a top side

[TheJediBrah]

Johnson did go from one extreme to another. It was ****ing awesome but surely ever is a stretch?

Depends on the time frame you're looking at. If you're talking about just the few months that Johnson was unplayable in 2013-14 then it would be fair to say ever.

Many others were definitely much better than Johnson over a longer period though. Johnson's peak was very short, and on and off.

 

[cnerd123]

Ryan Harris was an average Shield medium pacer till he suddenly transformed into Rhino

 

[_Ed_]

Ryan Harris was an average Shield medium pacer till he suddenly transformed into Rhino

Pretty sure he was listed as a batsmen in several versions of ICC. His knees probably wish he'd stayed that way.

 

[Migara]

Prasad went from trash to world class for 18 months (averaged 26 with the ball in that time). Then he did his hamstring, and backl to trash.
Lakmal doing it with lesser intensity, but don't think he will break down as Prasad.

Ranjith Madurasinghe (off break bowler) was utter trash, but his time SL were bit better than or almost minnows. Charitha Buddhika, Suresh Perera (good with the bat), Eric Upashantha are few really ordinary players played for a very strong SL side in late 90s and early 00s. But they did not get am extended run as Kapugedara or Mubarak. In recent times Sachith Pathirana and Sekkuge Prasanna are the best examples. Then last few years SL is no where near the top.

 

[OverratedSanity]

All terrifying prospects tbh. Johnson was insane around that period. Only time I’ve ever felt sorry for the Poms. It wasn’t fair.

That was the season de Villiers became TOTAB

 

[OverratedSanity]

Prasad went from trash to world class for 18 months (averaged 26 with the ball in that time). Then he did his hamstring, and backl to trash.
Lakmal doing it with lesser intensity, but don't think he will break down as Prasad.

Yeah, bit of a shame really. In 2014-15 in the series against India and Pakistan, he was genuinely world class. Constantly provided key breakthroughs and always looked threatening. That spell in Headingley was absolutely godlike too. If a bowler with a better reputation had bowled that spell, it'd be far better remembered and more celebrated.

 

[Burgey]

That was the season de Villiers became TOTAB

Hush, fool.

Before he walked away from his nation the first time, or the second?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pretty sure he was listed as a batsmen in several versions of ICC. His knees probably wish he'd stayed that way.

There's something really suss about Harris going from a 120s bowler to 140s after the age of 30. Must have hopped on something

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Time for a little Doug Bracewell:

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo

Hesson got most things right for NZ, Doug Bracewell was not one of those things.

Starting a spectacular early career against Zimbabwe, Australia and SA - his first 3 tests were 16 wickets at 19.25 and he had bowled Australia out in Australia. The world was his oyster.

But from there: he fell away; by 2013 he played 5 tests for 8 wickets at 66.62.

But worst was to come with his recall that kept Neil Wagner out of the team:

2015: 6 tests 17w at over 40
2016: 3 tests 5w at 59.40.

This selection was particularly worse as it meant Wagner missed tests, unlike Rutherford where the options were scarce (Fulton did well for a bit, Guptill struggled, Nicol wasn't upto it), NZ had further and obvious quality bowling options missing out.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hesson got most things right for NZ, Doug Bracewell was not one of those things.

Starting a spectacular early career against Zimbabwe, Australia and SA - his first 3 tests were 16 wickets at 19.25 and he had bowled Australia out in Australia. The world was his oyster.

On a genuine greentop to be fair. Also we prefer not to acknowledge Tasmania as part of Australia

 

[Maximas]

This selection was particularly worse as it meant Wagner missed tests.

I remember in about 2013/14 when Adam Milne and Matt Henry were the next big thing after Boult and Southee, some NZ posters were not particularly concerned about Wagner missing tests.

Interesting note on that Hobart game with Bracewell, that was also the tour that Dean Brownlie killed it, and again in SA on a disaster tour in 2013, his career went down a fairly similar path following that

 

[Maximas]

On a genuine greentop to be fair. Also we prefer not to acknowledge Tasmania as part of Australia

Bracewell came to the party on day 4 though, pitch was playing at its best by then

 

[TheJediBrah]

Bracewell came to the party on day 4 though, pitch was playing at its best by then

Which still isn't saying much. Ball was doing plenty throughout, in the air as well. Aus needs more wickets/conditions like that to help Test cricket be interesting. I guess our weather is just too good

 

[Mr Miyagi]

I remember in about 2013/14 when Adam Milne and Matt Henry were the next big thing after Boult and Southee, some NZ posters were not particularly concerned about Wagner missing tests.

Interesting note on that Hobart game with Bracewell, that was also the tour that Dean Brownlie killed it, and again in SA on a disaster tour in 2013, his career went down a fairly similar path following that

Adam Milne has never played a test. Henry made his debut in England 2015 taking Wagner's place. Henry was dropped soon after, but not replaced by Wagner, but by Bracewell.

Wagner in 2014 took wickets at 27.36 and in 2015 at 26, and that saw him DROPPED. It was an error, Henry was understandable to trial as he deserved a crack, but Bracewell was merely NZ searching for an all-rounder, and it was a total stuff up in hindsight, even at the time, I thought the trial opps were going on far too long keeping Wags out, especially for Bracewell. Bracewell was obviously not going to be a success. There were concerns about runs, so Bracewell was tried out as an allrounder. It failed as an experiment.

Henry just bowled too short, but friendly short, in his first NZ spell. In England of all places. It was strange. Stokes smashed him. Wagner should have played test 1 in Australia in 2015, instead Henry did, then replaced by Bracewell. Wagner missed the England tour, the Aus tour, and one of the home tests vs Aus.

 

[Top_Cat]

Pretty sure he was listed as a batsmen in several versions of ICC. His knees probably wish he'd stayed that way.

SA played him as a bowling all-rounder for most of his time there just to keep him in the side when he crocked every couple months.

 

[morgieb]

I remember in about 2013/14 when Adam Milne and Matt Henry were the next big thing after Boult and Southee, some NZ posters were not particularly concerned about Wagner missing tests.

Interesting note on that Hobart game with Bracewell, that was also the tour that Dean Brownlie killed it, and again in SA on a disaster tour in 2013, his career went down a fairly similar path following that

Brownlie I think was more of a case of his ability against quicks being so much better than his ability against spin. On wickets where spin was remotely a factor he was a liability.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Brownlie I think was more of a case of his ability against quicks being so much better than his ability against spin. On wickets where spin was remotely a factor he was a liability.

Nailed it.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Brownlie I think was more of a case of his ability against quicks being so much better than his ability against spin. On wickets where spin was remotely a factor he was a liability.

He was born in Australia. It would be weird if he could play spin.

 

[Maximas]

Brownlie I think was more of a case of his ability against quicks being so much better than his ability against spin. On wickets where spin was remotely a factor he was a liability.

Agreed, I think there was an Indian tour that pretty much finished him iirc

 

[quincywagstaff]

Daren Powell for mine. Never at any stage looked even close to a Test standard bowler and yet somehow managed to play 37 Tests. At least Sami showed early promise and had the occasional high point.